Updated November 2026
How to lock your Mac automatically when you walk away
Stepping away for a minute shouldn't leave your Mac open. Here's what macOS offers, and how to lock it the moment you leave.
What macOS can do on its own
- Lock right away: press Control-Command-Q, or choose Apple menu › Lock Screen.
- Lock after a few minutes: in System Settings › Lock Screen, require a password right after the screen saver starts or the display turns off, and set a short time for them.
- Lock from a corner: in System Settings › Desktop & Dock › Hot Corners, set a corner to Lock Screen.
All of these need you to remember, or to wait. macOS has no way to lock when you walk away: an Apple Watch can unlock your Mac, but it doesn't lock it when you leave.
Lock as you walk away, with your AirPods
- In KeepBuds, open Settings › Rules and turn on Lock your Mac when you walk away.
- Choose how far you go before it counts: Near, Medium or Far.
- Wear your AirPods as usual. When they move away from the Mac, it mutes and asks if you're still there. With no answer in 30 seconds, it locks.
KeepBuds learns how strong your AirPods' signal is at your desk while you use your Mac, so it works in any room with nothing to set up. It never locks while you're typing or using the trackpad.
When it doesn't lock
Taking your AirPods off first, like putting them in their case at your desk, never counts as walking away. A short dip in the signal doesn't either: it has to stay weak for several seconds. When you come back and unlock, your Mac's sound comes back too.
One app for your AirPods and your Mac
KeepBuds is a small menu bar app for Mac. It also stops your Mac from taking your AirPods without asking, sets each app's volume, shows their battery, and more.
Questions
Which headphones work?
AirPods and Beats that tell your Mac whether they're in your ears. KeepBuds follows the pair you chose in its settings.
Will it lock if I just lean back?
No. Near is a few steps away, the signal has to stay weak for a few seconds, and any typing or pointer movement means you're still there.
Is it in the App Store version?
No, it's in KeepBuds from keepbuds.com. Locking the screen right away needs a part of macOS that App Store apps can't use.